Flexible joint.



I. W. HORNSEY.

ELEXIBLEJOINT. APPLICAT ION FILED JULY 15. 1910. RENEWED JUNE 8, I915.- Patented Apr. 23, 19M

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l. W. HORNSEY.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

APPLICATION FiLEDlULYl5 19I0- RENEWED IUNE 8| 1915- 9]!- m Patented Apr. 23, 19k8.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A rttest L%6$ %1 5m Patented Apr. 23, 19W.

J. W. HORNSEY.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1910. RENEWED JUNE 8.1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

In venmr J. W. HORNSEY.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

APPLICATION mm JULY 15. 1910. RENEWED mm: 6.1915.

tented Apr. 23, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Oil

, .ronn w. HORNSEY, or SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, assrenon 'ro GENERAL REDUCTION ens AND nr-rnoioocrs COMPANY, a conrona'rron or DELAWARE.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23., 191.

Applicationfiled July 15, 1910, SerialNo. 572,135. Renewed June 8, 1915. Serial No. 32,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. HORNSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, Union county, New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flexible Joints, of which the following is ,used with rotaryapparatus to make a gas,

water or dust-tight connection with stationary piping 'orparts. For this purpose I provide a flexible diaphragm or joint connection between the rotary apparatus and the fixed part which rovides for the expansion and contractiono the fixed or moving parts, and at the same time maintains a clos joint therebetween. It furthermore reduces the friction and wear of the joint forming parts to a minimum and secures an eflicient action ofthe joint regardless .of the material being treated.

Referring to the drawings I have shown my invention as appliedqto one end of a rotary cylinder and fixed parts such as are shown and described in my companion applications filed of'even date herewith. 2 is a rotary cylinder, and 3 is a fixed head or stationary part within which the end 4 of the cylinder 2 .revolves. Attached to the end 4 of the cylinder 2 is a ring 5 having a vertical extending annular flange 6. Upon sheet metal.

the vertical surface 7 of the fixed part 3 and adjacent to the opening 8-is mounted the flexible joint 9 which is preferably composed of a plura ity of thln plates 10 of The joint 9, which I have 4 shown here 111 the form'of an annulus, preferablv has its edges 11 and 12 reinforced to provide rigid bearing parts 13 and 14 rethe part 13 ofwhich is rigidly spectively, th b R 15 e o s 'flange "6; Upon each of the bolts 15 is .mounted a lever 16, the point 17 of which fits in asocket 18 in the bearing part 14.

The spring 19 mounted on each of the bolts 15 is held under compression against the lever 16 b the nuts 20 and 21, while the point 17 o the lever 16 presses the bearing part 1 1 a ainst the movable part or flange 6. Suitab e washers or packin 22 may be. employed, if desired, Illl'COIlIlGCtlOII with the bearing part 13."

It Wlll thus be seen that the bearin parts 13 ofthe flexible joint 9 will always e held 6 and maintain gas, water or dust-tight connection between fixed and movingparts.

' In Fig. 6 I show a modification in which the joint 9"is com osed of a plurality of thin sheets 10' rigi 1y attached to the surface 7 by the bolts 15' and its end 12' clamped against the moving part 6 by leaf sprin lever 16 which is bolted to the surface To prevent the sheets 10' from buckling I preferably insert a rigid ring 23 between the clamping point 24=of-the leaf spring 16' and the edge 12".

While I have described m joint as being constructed of metal it is o vious that any other materials may be used which will mg parts. I have shown the flexible plates as annuli but they may be made in se ments built up, with joints staggered, ani i, obviously, the plates and joints may be made straight or in other shapes instead of in annular form when desired. The flexible plates may beattached to the moving part and bear upon the stationary part, and many other changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention. Moreover,

my invention is not confined to use in apparatus of the character shown but may also be used wherever a joint between a fixed and amoving part,'or bet ween moving parts, is desired.

I claim:

1. A joint between two r latively movable parts, the other v the plates to one of said parts through one tached to one of said parts parts comprising two bearing members, a flexible connection therebetween and a pres-' sure member, said flexible connection and said pressure member being secured to "one,

of said bearing'gmembers and to one of said of, said bearing members being held against the other of said parts by said pressure member.

2. A joint between two relatively movable parts, said joint consisting of a plurality of flexible metallic plates having reinforced, bearing surfaces at'its ends, a. leversecu'ring of sa1d bearing surfaces and bearing upon the other of its bearing surfaces to hold 'such surface against the other of said parts,

' the joint, a pressure member having one end fixed .to the part to which the flexible memher is attached'and havin it other end bearing upon the free en member to parts.

of the flexible press it against the other of said 4. A joint between two relatively movable parts, said joint consisting of a flexible diaphragm attached'to one of said parts and adapted to bear upon the other of said parts,

and a spring-operated arm having one end connected to the part to which the flexible joint consisting of a plurality of.

flexible plates, a pressure member, one end 1 0f the said plates and one end of the pressure member being secured to one of said parts, and the other end of said plates being forced to bear against the otherof said parts by the said pressure member.

6. A joint between two relatively movable parts, said joint consisting of a flexible diaphragm attached to one of said parts and adapted to bear on the other of said parts, and a lever having oneend connected to one of said parts, and having a spring for pressing the free end of the lever against the free end of the diaphragm to hold it tightly against the part moving relatively to. it.

, JOHN W. HORNSEY.

Witnesses:

R; I. MIDDLETON, G. HANSEN. 

